It seems that the number 19 holds a special charm for CP Gurnani. Embracing this lucky numeral, Gurnani recently celebrated a dual milestone: his 65th birthday (i.e., on December 19) and a fond farewell to his illustrious career, after a fulfilling 19 years at Tech Mahindra.
“I relived 19 years in just a few hours yesterday. And now, I relive those hours in just a few minutes,” said Gurnani, saying that there are no words to describe how overwhelming this is – “just like there are no words to describe how grateful I am.”
The past few days have taken Gurnani on an emotional roller coaster ride as he bids farewell to his illustrious career. Humble Gurnani shared an emotional post on X, revealing that the Tech Mahindra team had prepared 19 gifts, symbolising his 19 years with the company.
“The most special one – #TechMKiMitti – was a sand clock with mitti collected from our campuses all over, to always let me have a bit of TechM with me. Almost had me teary-eyed.
Thank you, fam!” said Gurnani.
Last month, CP Gurnani announced that he would step down from the position of MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra on December 19 as well as from the roles of non-executive, non-independent director of the IT major on December 21. Following him, Mohit Joshi who resigned from Infosys on March 11, 2023, will join Tech Mahindra as the next CEO and managing director.
What’s Next?
While Gurnani has not publicly revealed his future plans, AIM, in conversations with insiders at Tech Mahindra, indicate that he is poised to relinquish all responsibilities within the company, directing his attention towards personal life and endeavors.
Furthermore, Gurnani expresses readiness for a transition, shifting from the role of a captain to that of a ‘coach’. “I don’t think I am even close to retiring. I will be shifting gears in my life and transitioning into a new phase as a ‘coach’,” he said in a recent interview.
After dedicating a significant portion of his life in the tech industry, and attaining the position of CXO at age of 38, Gurnani is now looking to explore a different perspective. “I want to pursue endeavours that deeply resonate with my passions and values. I see it as a good time to embark on this personal journey of self-discovery after a long, fulfilling career.” he shared.
Techno Optimist
CP Gurnani has always been optimistic about the future, holding the opposite view to the prevailing opinion that AI may take away jobs. According to him, generative AI has the potential to create more jobs than it is expected to eliminate, despite widespread discussions on its potential to disrupt the job market on social media.
“The use cases of generative AI are still being defined, which means that it has the potential to create more job opportunities in the future. Undoubtedly, the possibilities are just opening, and there is more to come,” said Gurnani.
Undoubtedly, Gurnani was among the first to challenge OpenAI to create something akin to ChatGPT. In June, Gurnani and Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, engaged in Twitter exchanges, during which Gurnani challenged Altman, asserting that India would create its own generative AI chatbot.
OpenAI founder Sam Altman said it’s pretty hopeless for Indian companies to try and compete with them.
Dear @sama, From one CEO to another..
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. pic.twitter.com/67FDUtLNq0— CP Gurnani (@C_P_Gurnani) June 9, 2023
Subsequently, Tech Mahindra revealed Project Indus a few weeks later, with the objective of constructing a foundational language model with a specific focus on Indian languages, notably Hindi and various dialects. Gurnani was the one who led this project, along with Rajesh Dhuddhu and Nikhil Malhotra. With Gurnani retiring and new management taking over, it will be interesting to see how Project Indus shapes up.
Believes in Hard Work
Recently, Infosys founder Narayan Murthy’s remark about youngsters working 70 hours a week was heavily discussed, and Gurnani defended it. Gurnani said that young people should invest the 10,000 hours that it takes to become a master in their field. He said that this could involve burning the midnight oil to become an expert.
He mentioned that when Murthy talks about 70 hours, it doesn’t necessarily mean for the company. Instead, he suggested that youngsters should allocate 40 hours for the company and reserve 30 hours for their personal development.
Gurnani’s Journey
CP Gurnani graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from NIT – Rourkela. Subsequently, he commenced his early career as a process engineer at JK Synthetics, dedicating three years to the role.
Following this initial stint, he transitioned to the technology firm HCL, where he held various significant positions, including roles at HCL Hewlett-Packard, HCL Perot System, and Perot Systems, accumulating a substantial 18 years of service from 1986 to 2004.
By this point, CP Gurnani had already made a notable name for himself within the tech industry. In 2004, he made the pivotal move to Tech Mahindra, where he initially assumed responsibility for the company’s international operations, sales, and marketing.
At Tech Mahindra his most significant business accomplishment involved the acquisition of Satyam Computers, a feat even spotlighted in a Harvard case study. Satyam Computers, was reeling from a major scandal with an uncertain future. However, Gurnani saw Satyam’s crisis as an opportunity. He believed Satyam’s strong talent pool, global presence, and established clientele could be revitalized if paired with Mahindra’s financial stability and business expertise.
As his journey at Tech Mahindra comes to an end, CP Gurnani is overwhelmed with the love he received from his employees. “With so much love flowing in from all corners, I feel like a 5-year-old grandkid, not a 65-year-old grandfather,” he said.
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